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Review
. 2022 May 2:3:870489.
doi: 10.3389/fragi.2022.870489. eCollection 2022.

IFN-Aging: Coupling Aging With Interferon Response

Wei Cao  1
Affiliations
Review

IFN-Aging: Coupling Aging With Interferon Response

Wei Cao. Front Aging. .

Abstract

Chronic inflammation affects many diseases and conditions, including aging. Interferons are a part of the immune defense against viral infections. Paradoxically, various aging tissues and organs from mammalian hosts perpetually accumulate changes brought by interferon pathway activation. Herein, we connote the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and discuss its implications in age-related pathology.

Keywords: aging; inflammaging; interferon; laminopathy; mitochondria; senescence; transposable elements.

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Conflict of interest statement

WC received honorarium as an invited speaker in a symposium sponsored by AstraZeneca.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Factors driving age-related IFN response. Cells undergo multiple molecular changes in the nuclei (green) and mitochondria (pink) during aging. Cytosolic sensing of TE, ssDNA, or mitochondrial DNA by cGAS activates STING and initiates innate interferon response in aging cells. Interferon signaling via JAK/STAT pathway exerts a profound influence on cellular functions, and its activation constitutes a core program of tissue, organ, and stem cell aging, which likely contributes to the systemic aging process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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